The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-08-20
WHITE DEMOCRATS ONLY.
TCapitolian- Advocated


The Telegraph commends the fol-
lowing to the Democrats of Ouachita
A number of our readers in the
country wards are apprehensive that
the omission of the word "white" in
the qualifications laid down by the
Democratic Parish Central Committee
for the conduct of the last city primary,
may be made the precedent for like
omission in the primaries or meetings
to be held to select delegates to the
conventions that are to nominate can.
didates for Congress, State end parish
officials. They hold that though white
primary, it is unsafe 10 leave the door
open in the approaching contests, when
in their zeal to win, candidates and
their friends may be tempted to rush
in crowds of negroes in the primaries
or meetings, as was done in 1879, when
negro votes for the mirc1 PRIMARY of
that year ruled as low as ttrenty .fre
cents. For example, at that primary
t,c0 thousand one h,Ullred ond cighLy>
three roies were cast, while at the elec
ton, Gov. Wiltz received but .f/ieca
hWdred a,sd ninty.0ne votes, being
nearly sic hundred Uotes LESS Mdt
cere cast at the 2'rin,ary.
In striking contrast with the pri-
mary and the election of 1879, there
were cast hceire hanared a,,d eighty.
foW rotes at the ,chite primary Of 1888,
while fourteen h,0,0Ie0 and serenity
eight rotes were cast for Gov. Emery, AT
the election, being one huads'cd 0R0
nint.y-to'0' rOtes MORE than at the pri-
mary.
These figures speak in thunder tones
! against Il mixed primary, and we opine
that no one will deny that the dissen-
tions which have existed among the
Democracy of this parish, originated
! in the n1ired primary Of 1879.
Right here, it Is proper to observe
that the compromise effected between
the rival parish committees on the 2ist
Of August, 1886, was conditioned upon
the issuance OF call to the Whife
Democrats OF the parish to assemble In
their respective wards to select dele
gates to a parish convention convened
to elect delegates to the Congressional
Convention, tud also to select q ne'C
Parish Erecutire Committee.
! There can be no question that on the
basis of mi.ced meetings the compro-
mise so happily effected would not
have been consummated.
The spirit of the agreement, there,
fore, cannot otherwise be interpreted,
than that the ~hHc Dtm0c,f,ts OF the
parish, at least during the existence Of
the committee chosen in accordance
with its stipulations, should alone be
permitted to participate in the meet.
ings and primaries Of the reunited
Democracy.
AS the preservation of the unity and
harmony of the Democratic party Of
the parish must be the ruling aim OF
the Parish Committee, we trust that
they will make it their duty to allay
ali apprehensions in the matter by in
serting as Il precedent for the State and
parochial contests that are to follow,
the word lrhHe in their call TO the
Democrats on the approaching Con-
gressional nomination.
The laying down of this precedent
will seal the reunion of the Democracy
of the parish, and give us an old-fash.
ioned friendly campaign, in which the
most popular candidates will secure
the various nominations and the hearty
support of the party at the elections.
Party harmony is SO indispensable
2 to the advancement OF the material in
teres,s of the parish, which have SUI
fered SO much by the past disseniions
that we feel confident that the parisl
7 committee will not fail to effecluall,
J, settle the question at their next meet
: ing.
l. TIE TELEGRAPH One dollar pc
'r year.